Hyundai near settlement in U.S. mileage lawsuits

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Hyundai near settlement in U.S. mileage lawsuits

Hyundai Motor is close to settling 38 federal lawsuits filed after it overstated the fuel economy of cars in the United States.

In a filing this week in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, Hyundai says it will make lump-sum payments to about 600,000 owners of cars and SUVs from the 2011 through 2013 model years, including the Elantra sedan. The amount of the payments wasn’t given. They will vary based on the vehicle and how much its mileage was overstated.

Kia Motors is still deciding whether to participate in the settlement. About 300,000 Kia owners are affected.

The Environmental Protection Agency found inflated numbers on 13 vehicles in November. Hyundai and Kia acknowledged the problem, changed the fuel economy numbers and blamed a procedural error.

Since then, Hyundai and Kia have been compensating owners with payments of about $88 annually based on the amount the mileage was overstated and average price of gasoline.

Some buyers refused to settle and sued in federal court, where Hyundai is now negotiating with plaintiffs. Hyundai spokesman Chris Hosford declined to comment on the case Wednesday.

Vehicles involved include the Hyundai Azera, Accent, Genesis, Santa Fe, Sonata Hybrid, Tucson and Veloster and the Kia Optima Hybrid, Rio, Sorento, Soul and Sportage.

AP
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